Sermons on Movie Metaphors:

What It Means To Be Dead To Sin

Contributed by Dr. Odell Belger on Dec 13, 2021

In the movie “Karate Kid”, young Daniel asks Mister Miagi to teach him karate. He agrees to teach him all he knows about karate under one condition: Daniel must submit totally to his instruction, and never question his methods.

He agrees to teach him all he knows about karate under one condition: Daniel must submit totally to his instruction, and never question his methods. Daniel shows up the next day, eager to learn. The first thing Mr. Miagi has him do is paint a fence. Mr. Miagi demonstrated the precise motion for ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 2:13-23

Denomination: Baptist

Soul For Sale

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Jun 3, 2009

In America, you can metaphorically and literally sell your soul and be rewarded for it. One wonders how the purchaser intended to collect. We can’t literally sell our soul, but we can lose our soul to gain something else. We need to ponder Jesus’ question

Opening illustration: One would think that selling one’s soul, as Faust offered his to the devil in Goethe’s Dr. Faustus, is only a figment of literary fiction. Medieval as it seems, however, several cases of soul-selling have occurred. Wired magazine reported that a 29-year-old university ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:24-28

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

While God May Be Found (July 17, 2022)

Contributed by John Williams Iii on Jul 15, 2022

Who would argue against the understanding that we live in a day when many take God for granted? One thing that eighth chapter of Amos makes clear is that moving away from God invites destruction. The opening image of ripe fruit cuts to the chase as a metaphor for God’s judgement.

WHILE GOD MAY BE FOUND Texts: Isaiah 55:6, Amos 8:1- 2, 8:11- 12 Isaiah 55:6 Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Hime while He is near Amo 8:1 This is what the Lord GOD showed me: behold, a basket of summer fruit. 2 And he said, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A basket of ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 55:6, Amos 8:1-2, Amos 8:11-12

Denomination: United Methodist

"What We Have Here Is…failure To Communicate”

Contributed by Bruce Ferris on Sep 16, 2002

“What We Have Here is…Failure To Communicate.” Perhaps some of you are old enough to remember this famous line from the authoritarian captain played by character actor Strother Martin in the 1967 movie, “Cool Hand Luke.” Paul Newman’s academy award nomi

“What We Have Here is…Failure To Communicate” “What We Have Here is…Failure To Communicate.” Perhaps some of you are old enough to remember this famous line from the authoritarian captain played by character actor Strother Martin in the 1967 movie, “Cool Hand Luke.” Paul Newman’s academy award ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:26-27

Denomination: Baptist

Amazing Grace

Contributed by Segun Omole on Aug 19, 2010

The bible is filled with so many stories that would win the Oscar at any time. I know everybody loves a wonderful story. If not then why is Hollywood so rich? Why do people keep buying movies that have almost the same story lines? Little wonder that the b

Amazing Grace Text: Hosea 1: 1-3:5 The bible is filled with so many stories that would win the Oscar at any time. I know everybody loves a wonderful story. If not then why is Hollywood so rich? Why do people keep buying movies that have almost the same story lines? Little wonder that the bible ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Faith Of The Nobleman

Contributed by Monte Brown on Jan 30, 2009

Throughout our lives we hear a lot about faith and the need of having faith in our lives. We hear of it when we come to church. We read of it in books and the Bible. We watch it in movies. However it seems that so many times our faith is initiated by a

The Faith of the Nobleman John 4:43-54 Monte T. Brown November 30, 2008 Sunday Morning Heart O’ the Hills Introduction Throughout our lives we hear a lot about faith and the need of having faith in our lives. We hear of it when we come to church. We read of ...read more

Scripture: John 4:43-54

Denomination: Baptist

Live Like You Were Dyin' Series

Contributed by Rob Yanok on Oct 5, 2013

“Life is a dash between two numbers on a tombstone, and everybody should enjoy that dash” Dr Neil Shulman (Movie Doc Hollywood) 18 times a minute you breathe, 25,920 times a day FREE of Charge. Learn to live your life with passion

Live Like You Were Dyin’ Life is valuable. “Teach us to number our days and recognize how few they are; help us to spend them as we should.” Psalm 90:12 (LB) Don’t turn over a new leaf. Turn over a new life. “Life is a dash between two numbers on a tombstone, and ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 39:4-5

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Matthew 5 – Part 19 – "But The Guy Is A Jerk And Deserves It!” Series

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Jan 8, 2010

Most action movies have some aspect of revenge in their storyline. When the bad guy finally gets killed, I agree with the hero as he says, “The guy was a jerk and deserved everything he got!” Am I the only one? Jesus challenges my thinking!

Matthew 5 – Part 19 – “BUT THE GUY IS A JERK AND DESERVES IT!” Most action movies I have seen have some aspect of revenge in their storyline. And I must admit it, when the bad guy finally gets killed, I am there saying on the inside “The guy was a jerk and deserved everything he got!” Am I the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:38-48

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Emperor’s New Grove

Contributed by D. Dewaine Phillips on Feb 9, 2022

The Disney movie "The Emperor's New Groove" sounds like its straight out of the Bible; a story where a king, along with his evil female advisor, desire a new plot of ground. This sermon addresses the slippery slope of envy and coveting.

In Disney’s thirty-ninth animated film, “The Emperor’s New Groove,” self-proclaimed “King of the World” Kuzco (COOS-coh), who had an evil female advisor named Yzma (EEZ-muh), made plans to demolish an entire village to build a new water park. At the highest point of the village he planned on ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 21:1-23

Denomination: Baptist

Was It Really Like That? Series

Contributed by Darrell Stetler Ii on Mar 23, 2004

One of the biggest questions I’ve heard people asking about Mel Gibson’s movie is: "Wow. . . did that really happen?" A reviewer in TIME mag put it this way: "The first thing you have to decide is. . . is it based on fact or fiction?" *HANDOUT INCLUDED*

WAS IT REALLY LIKE THAT? How many of you here today have seen The Passion of the Christ? How many of you left there with questions? <HANDS> This series, I’m taking some of the most common questions I’ve heard, and giving them an honest look. One of the biggest questions I’ve encountered with ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:1-4

Denomination: Holiness

Easy Rider Meets The Messiah In Afghanistan

Contributed by Benjamin Doolittle on Mar 29, 2002

I want to talk about Easy Rider, Advent, and then you and me. Easy Rider. Do you remember the movie? Late 60’s. Peter Fonda - looking all buff and studly in his leather jacket, the one with the American Flag. Dennis Hopper - ragged and wild, scraggl

Easy Rider Meets the Messiah in Afghanistan Isaiah 2:1-5 Romans 13:11-4 Matthew 24:36-44 The Rev. Dr. Benjamin R. Doolittle December 2nd, 2001 - First Sunday of Advent Loving God, we do not know the hour or the place when you shall come. We know only that you come, again and again, you come to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 24:36-44

Denomination: Methodist

“the Call To Fervent Prayer!” Series

Contributed by Gerry Cheney on Dec 29, 2015

Based on the movie "War Room"... we look at the importance of first evaluating our own prayer lives. Are we hot or cold? Before we start praying that God works on another person, we start by asking God to change us. This is where our prayer lives begin.

Introduction: As you all know… This week we saw another tragic college shooting transpire. This time near ROSEBURG, Ore. Ten people were killed during a shooting at Umpqua Community College Thursday morning. And I think there were nine others who were wounded. What makes this story even a ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 4:12

Denomination: Vineyard

Treasure Seekers

Contributed by Derrick Tuper on Oct 18, 2020

What comes to mind when you hear the term, treasure seekers? Pirates, movies like, The Goonies? The world views treasure much differently than God does. Let's see what constitutes real treasure and determine if we want to be treasures seekers today.

TREASURE SEEKERS When you think of treasure seekers what do you typically think of? Pirates searching for buried treasure? Movies like Raiders of the Lost Ark, National Treasure or one of my personal favorites-The Goonies? I was reading an article this past week that mentioned treasures. That got ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:19-24, 1 Timothy 6:17-19, Proverbs 2:1-5, Proverbs 11:4, 2 Corinthians 4:6-7, Matthew 13:44, Matthew 19:21, Hebrews 11:24-26, Philippians 3:7-9  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Eye Of The Tiger!

Contributed by Ronald Crandall on Jan 16, 2003

I know it sounds like an odd title God gave me this message to preach to a Youth Camp. The idea came one night while watching the movie "Rocky." God has called our youth to be champions who keep their eye on the mark of the Prize of the High Calling! We h

THE EYE OF THE TIGER By: Pastor Ron Crandall Intro: It is always fun to minister at a camp filled with young people. I love coming and seeing God challenge you to a deeper walk with him. How many of you have seen the movie “Rocky?” I love the movie because it takes a nobody and through ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:13-14

Denomination: Pentecostal

How To Build A "Mega" Church!

Contributed by Dwight Jones on Nov 27, 2005

We trumpet high impact ministry with all of its frills. Our services are filled with video clips, movie clips and unfortunately scripture clips. We take more time and efforts refining our delivery than we do making sure that what we are delivering has H

In practically every gathering of ministers there is a subject that comes up; that subject is church growth. “How do we get people to come to church?” We have answered that question with a thousand books and yet by and large we are losing the battle for souls. In spite of our best efforts, we ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:10-11

Denomination: Assembly Of God